Learning to Trust Again
by guineamania
Summary: The Avengers have lived in sweet peace for 4 years but an old "friend" arrived and needs a little help. Tony doesn't want to help BUT his wife and secretary do. Guess who wins! Loki/OC
1. Chapter 1

_**20/10/12**_

**Learning to Trust Again**

**Disclaimer – I only own Sami not any of the Avengers character. MARVEL does and I want to.**

**I know, I know! I shouldn't be writing another but this came to me as I was doing maths homework and I couldn't do it properly until I wrote this down. It just grew and grew into something beautiful. Please review for me!**

**Chapter 1**

"_**It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone." **_

**Rose Kennedy**

"Sami!" Tony yelled from the main living room. Samantha sighed and locked her Starklet (Stark tablet) before setting off to the living room.

"What now Tony," she moaned and walked casually. He was always shouting for entirely juvenile reasons.

"Get Doctor Banner and called Fury, tell them both it is urgent!" he shouted with slight panic in his voice. That was unusual, Tony never panicked. Samantha pressed her finger to her ear piece. "Banner," she said with slight urgency. It rang for a few seconds before Bruce picked up.

"Hey, Sam," he replied casually.

"Hey Bruce, Tony needs you in the main lounge. He says it is urgent," she commented.

"Ok, I'm on my way," he replied and she heard the click of the receiver being put down.

"Fury," she said next and waited a bit longer for Nick to pick up.

"Samantha, what can I do for you?" he asked politely. Nick was always nice to her.

"Hey Nick, Tony needs you at Stark Tower. He says it's urgent so I would gather the team," Samantha explained.

"Right, we'll be there soon. Did he say what had happened?" Nick asked.

"Nope but he sounded panicky," Samantha sighed.

"Must be serious," Fury commented and hung up. She walked into the living room just as Banner was hopping up the stairs. She walked in and Tony was stood warily behind one of the leather settees.

"What is it now Tony?" Samantha sighed and started typing on her Starklet.

"Oh nothing big! Only the worlds most wanted villain is bleeding on my rug," he shouted and stepped out of Samantha's line of vision. Samantha gasped as she took in the shaking figure on the floor. It was Loki and he was not well. Blood poured out of multitudes of cuts that coated his body. Mud caked him and he was only wearing a pair of tattered shorts. His right arm was hung limply and a bone was jutted out at an unnatural angle. His hair was like rattails and it was cut unevenly round his ears. He was almost coated in black bruises and his irises were seriously diluted. Loki was wincing with every movement but he never screamed out. His skin was as white a porcelain and his green eyes were fading and lost the glint of menace and mischief. Samantha gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth before a yelp escaped. Banner hurried in and was also shocked at the scene in front of him but his professionalism soon took over. "Tony will you picket rug up at this end and Sam will you pick it up at the other end," he asked nicely and propped the door wide open. Samantha hurried round to lift up the rug but couldn't move her eyes off the quaking figure laid on the floor. He was trembling unnatural and looked like he was choking on his own vomit. She saw him roll and hunch so grabbed the waste bin. She reached just in time as Loki threw up violently. "He is so lucky you saw that coming," Tony growled as he gathered up the other end of the rug.

"Don't threaten the patient," Bruce insisted and Tony snorted. Samantha placed the bin down and picked up the other end of the rug. They heaved and carried it down the corridor towards Bruce's lab/medical bay, which was luckily on the same floor. They made slow progress as every so often Loki would fidget and almost cry out in pain. Samantha wanted to comfort him; even though he was the world's deadliest enemy, she could never bear to see anyone in pain. He was in so much pain.

The trio hurried to the lab and heaved him onto the cold metal table in the centre of the room. He almost cried out in pain as they laid him down but he held it in is if he was in fear. Tony wasn't being especially gentle with him. "Tony!" Samantha yelled and sent him a vicious glare. If looks could kill then that would have quartered him. She straightened out the rug and helped Loki lay carefully on his shredded back.

"What!" Tony exclaimed.

"Be gentle with him," Samantha insisted.

"But Sam," Tony whined.

"You better not be bullying the patient, Tony Stark," a voice from behind them scolded. Pepper Stark walked into the room with a phone.

"Pepper," he whined but gave up on blatantly hurting Loki. Pepper smiled at Samantha and joined her next to Loki.

"It's Fury; he wants to talk to Tony but you might be better suited to talking to him," Pepper whispered and passed Samantha the phone. She stepped out of the room but kept an eye on Loki.

"Samantha Clayton," Samantha announced and she heard Nick snigger.

"I knew she wouldn't give the phone to Tony," he laughed.

"He isn't in the greatest mood at the moment, a god is bleeding on his rug," Samantha sighed.

"What!" Nick exclaimed.

"Loki's back, but he is not in good shape," Samantha explained. "He has been seriously beaten up and is on the brink," she sighed.

"We're on the quinjet now and nearing New York. Keep both eyes on Loki, he's slippery!" Nick insisted.

"I don't think he is going anywhere," Samantha sighed and hung up. She walked back in and passed the phone back to Pepper. "He's coming," she whispered and returned her gaze to Loki's trembling body. He was shaking and blood still poured out of his many scars. Blood flaked off his body and Samantha instantly felt queasy. She murmured something along the lines of "I wait outside," to Pepper and hurried out of the room. She darted into the living room with its mini bar. She quickly pulled out a bottle of Bacardi Gold and a coke. She swilled then together and down it quickly while putting away the rest of the Bacardi. "Don't drink Sam, it won't help," Pepper muttered as she walked in the door. The drink had helped though; her head was no longer spinning and her stomach had settled slightly. She picked up a bucket and mop out of a sliding compartment. She ferociously scrubbed at the blood stains on Tony's oak floor until the floor shone with a sparkle that it had never done before. "What's up Sami?" Pepper asked.

"It's nothing Pep," Samantha sighed and put the bucket and mop back into the cupboard. She scrunched her nose up and held the bin that Loki vomited into at arm's length as she threw it into the trash disposal.

"Tell me Sam, sisters forever remember," Pepper smiled. Pepper was Samantha's step sister; they shared the same idiot of a father. Pepper was ten years older than Samantha and took on a mothering role when Samantha moved to the big apple. Providing her a job and a place live as well as sisterly advice.

"I know Pepsi! It's just," she murmured and paused. "No one deserves that," she sighed and sunk down leaning on the wall. Pepper slid down next to her and squeezed her shoulders.

"You're just naturally compassionate, that's nothing to be ashamed off," Pepper whispered sympathetically. Samantha leant over and rested her head on Pepper's shoulder. The rhythmic thump of her heart soothed Samantha and her head started to stop spinning.

"Thanks Pepsi," Samantha murmured and sat there as Pepper ran her fingers through Samantha's long dirty blonde hair. She closed her eyes and the time dragged by. They were sat there for about quarter of an hour before both of their headsets beeped.

"Sami, Pep! You're needed," Tony muttered and they both jumped to their feet.


	2. Chapter 2

_**26/10/12**_

**Disclaimer – I ONLY OWN SAMI so no suing or stuff like that!**

**Thanks for reading I love all you people who read and my 5 followers! I can't write without reviews so thanks guys**

Dr. Huff-Puff – Thanks for reviewing and you find out what happened to Loki (in quite vague

detail) in this chapter

Sioux 3 Loki – Muhahahaha I love cliffhangers! Read on …

**Please review and read on!**

**Chapter 2**

"_**Compassion is not weakness, and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism."**_

**Hubert H Humphrey**__

They ran down the corridor and Samantha streaked ahead of Pepper. Samantha barged into the door and skidded into the lab. Loki was writhing about on the table while doctors were trying to pin him down. Samantha yelped when she saw how much blood was dripping onto the floor. Bruce looked up frantically and the worry on his face didn't comfort the flapping butterflies in her stomach. She pushed through the crowd of doctors and stood by Loki's side. All the noise faded into the background and all her focus fixed on Loki. A few of the doctors let go on commands from Bruce but many remained. Samantha knelt down by the low table and pushed a few doctors off him. He was sweating and it trickled down his face mixing with the deep crimson blood that was in a puddle by his head. She heard Pepper scream at her but she heard nothing. She reached and softly held his left hand in her right. His hand was freezing cold and it stung at her skin. Samantha was about to pull away when his hand squeezed hers and his struggles lessened. He slowly turned and looked at her with pained eyes and her gut wrenched. She squeezed his hand back and he collapsed painfully onto his destroyed back. The doctors continued to work round Samantha and Loki clung onto her hand for support. The evening raced by and it was all a blur. At some point, a chair was brought but all Samantha's attention was focused on Loki. She knew that everyone expected her to hate him and, to be honest, she wanted to hate him. Just, how can you hate someone that is on the brink of death; and Loki should have gone over to edge some many times. She couldn't match the things he had done to the crippled shell laid in front of her. A few times she felt someone try and pull her away but she was not leaving him; he needed someone to look out for him and seen as though everyone in this tower was strongly anti-Loki, she was the only one who cared. It was late into the night before Bruce and the other doctors had finished working on Loki. He clenched her hand and she massaged his comfortingly. Loki drifted in and out of consciousness and Samantha drifted in and out of sleep. Eventually her hectic mind shut down and gave in to sleep.

The pain took over everything; his magic was overwhelmed. It was healing just not as fast as the vital blood was leaving his body. As Loki awoke the pain had diminished slightly and he transferred his returning magic to pain control and let his wounds heal in their own time. The fog cleared slightly from his shattered mind and he looked slowly from side to side. Obviously he was in a SHIELD medical bay and laid on one of these really uncomfortable surgical tables. What surprised him was the small blood stained midgardian that was grabbed hold of his left hand. He tried to think back to the night before but he was just met with memories of absolute pain. She was fast asleep and her head rested on a patchy red pillow. He tried to move his hand to release hers but the bones weren't cooperating. After a few minutes his bones creaked and they released the petit hand. It flopped onto the table and Loki winced. Her hand was coated in blood and it looked like he had bruised it in his pain filled movements last night. His bones creaked as he reached and touched her hand lightly. Loki gasped with pain but clenched his teeth as he directed part of his power into healing the bruises on her hand. They faded away and her hand returned to its natural pale colour. He rolled back over and the pain returned as the table made contact with his disintegrating back. He tried to push more magic into the pain in his back but his magic was faded and weak which Loki was concerned about. He thought back to his many years of training in magic and sunk into the thoughts. _"Always remember your magic depends on you," his mentor always said, "If you are tired your magic will be weaker; if you have no strength you will have no magic. Always have this in mind, my young apprentice." The young Loki nodded and smiled before returning to the task his mentor had set him with a childlike carefree determination._ A yawn from beside him snapped his mind back to attention and as the girl lent up he slowly moved away trying to avoid the pain. The most innocent looking people always hurt him; never trust new people. This could be another of his life like hallucinations. She sat up and smiled and Loki's instant response was to dart away.

Samantha yawned and stretched as she woke up and took in her unusual surroundings. She was still in the medical bay but she was no longer grasping onto Loki's hand. She looked up and smiled but he hurriedly flinched away. Her smile slowly turned into a confused frown. She stood up and he flinched away again. He winced in pain and drops of blood soaked through his bandage. "Stop moving I am not going to hurt you," Samantha whispered but he was still trembling. "Trust me Loki," she murmured and he flinched at the word trust. Bruce walked in and pulled Samantha away from Loki into the corner. For each step Samantha took away from him, Loki relaxed slightly but his muscles were always ready to run.

"Be careful Sam," Bruce whispered and looked over her shoulder at Loki. "Even though he looks harmless, we don't know what is happening in his head," Bruce sighed.

"He's scared Bruce; he's not vengeful or cunning. He's scared," Samantha whispered and Bruce looked at him.

"Just be careful Sami," he murmured and walked towards Loki. Loki flinched and looked away. Loki's eyes were frantic and madness consumed the malevolent glint Thor always spoke of. She gasped with revelation, "has anyone contacted Thor?" she exclaimed. The look on Bruce's face told her that he hadn't thought about. Loki kicked out as Bruce tried to bandage his back again. "He's trying to help," Samantha exclaimed and Loki looked at her briefly before giving in but always keeping a wary eye on Bruce and Samantha. "He'll want know," Samantha said trying to drag the conversation back to Thor. Everyone owed him a large favour and telling him about his brother was the least they could do.

"Is it for the best though?" Bruce asked warily. "The last time we saw Loki he was being carted off for Asgardian justice. What if this is Asgardian justice?" Bruce speculated but the idea just didn't fit in Samantha's mind.

"It can't be! Thor loves Loki and Asgard seems more like a life time imprisonment sort of place," Samantha stated with her trademark determination. Bruce knew she wouldn't waver from the view she held and so he gave up trying to reason with her. "Just put it forward for me!" she begged. Bruce finished patching Loki up and binned the blood soaked bandages, he was deliberately avoiding Samantha's question. She fell on her last resort.

"Sami, no Sami! Not the puppy dog pout," Bruce complained but no one could ever argue with that face for long, apart from Tony that is but that's just because he was more practiced in the art of guilt tripping. "Ok, ok! I'll put it forward but I'm not promising anything," he moaned and Samantha grinned.

"Thanks Bruce," she giggled and he left the room shaking her head. She turned and smiled at Loki but he just flinched away and fiddled with his pot round his left leg. "Why does he not talk?" Samantha thought. "It's not just talk, it's just any form of communication," she looked over and sat down watching Loki.

Loki was haunted by images of the past as he was healing slower than even these pathetic humans did. He tried to block them out but it was so overwhelming that he knew nothing else. Even good thought of his childhood couldn't stop the painfully memories coming.

"Why can't you learn boy?" Thanos growled. "Speaking equals pain," he chortled.

"Why?" Loki croaked and an icy cold pain burned his throat.

"Don't speak!" Thanos hissed, "Your pathetic mewling irritates me." Loki looked up whilst in absolute agony with the spasms racking his body. He opened his mouth to bite back a snappy retort when the pain hit again. His mouth hung open gasping for breath and Thanos glided closer. He menacingly lent over Loki and his mouth twitched into a grotesque smile. Loki tried to back away but the pain in his legs from days before prevented his movement. "I thought you would be a valuable ally frost giant but I was completely and utterly wrong. You are like those snivelling humans you desire to rule," he hissed. A sharp pain shot through his blood and he tried to scream. The pain in his throat overwhelmed all his other injuries and Thanos reached and held his jaws open tightly and did the most unexpected thing. He pulled out Loki's tongue and threw it to the creatures that traipsed after him. Loki tried to scream but blood welled up in his mouth. "Whatever I do to you Laufeyson, you will never die unless I want you to. Death is too great for you; I will not humiliate her with such a horrible sacrifice. And anyway, I need something to entertain me. Thanos walked away and Loki vomited pure blood onto the floor for a long time before the place where his tongue should be healed. It grew back slowly and painfully like everything Thanos ruined did but after a couple of repeat incidents he learnt never to talk to anyone even if they asked him too. He was not falling for that again. Communication was over rated and leads to betrayal. He wasn't going to fall for trust and compassion again; never again.


	3. Hiatus Notice

_24/12/12_

Hey readers,

I regret to inform you that Learning to Trust Again is now on temporary hiatus due to January Exams and focusing on other fanfics.

Sorry again and I wish you a Merry Christmas

Guinea


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